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Vegan

Join Mumsnet's vegan community and discuss everything related to the vegan diet.

Original poster

Veganuary 2018

379 replies

lurchermummy · 30/12/2017 23:50

Myself and DD aged 16 are going to try a vegan diet for January. DD is already vegetarian and I was vegetarian for many years although recently not. I really want to try a lighter healthier plant based way of eating, feel blurgh after all the rich food of Christmas, and am really keen to see if it helps my psoriasis. If we like it we may well continue but I signed up for Veganuary to give us a focus. DD2 is a fussy eater and not a big fan of vegetables so that may be tricky, DH is happy to eat vegetarian but vegan may be a step too far for him. Would really welcome any tips for adaptable family meals eg. sausage and mash, I can do vegan sausages for us and meat for them. I'm actually really looking forward to it now!

OP posts:
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DeliveredByKiki · 18/01/2018 01:59

We had build your own burrito bowls tonight:
Soyrizo and black beans
Brown rice and river cauliflower
Sautéed courgettes and peppers in cumin
Guacamole
Chipotle salsa
Shredded lettuce

Gobble gobble

MotherofPearl · 18/01/2018 07:04

Kiki, what the devil is 'river cauliflower'?

DeliveredByKiki · 18/01/2018 07:18

Bloody autocorrect- RICED cauliflower

Todayisanewday75 · 18/01/2018 07:39

Yesterday I made sweet potato, aubergine & chickpea madras and a garlic & lemon dal. Had it with brown rice and spinach. It was all very nice but I put far too much in my bowl and couldn’t eat it all!

MotherofPearl · 18/01/2018 09:25

Ah, that makes more sense! Grin

woollyjumperseason · 18/01/2018 09:37

havent read the full thread but if anyone is missing pesto you can get a basil pesto from sacla in the free from section of morrisons ( possibly other supermarkets) that is vegan its very yummy Smile

LoniceraJaponica · 18/01/2018 09:55

We buy it all the time as normal pesto contains Parmesan and is therefore not vegetarian.

Going to try almond milk today. Our Tesco had just one carton of Oatly left on its shelves this morning.

Todayisanewday75 · 18/01/2018 13:35

Homemade pesto made without parmesan is lovely and very easy.

Estellanpip · 18/01/2018 13:57

Today I made a pasta bake with cooked lentil pasta, scoops of microwaved sweet potato, tomato sauce with olive oil and garlic, lime zest, some veg stock (didn't add water), a big squeeze of lime juice and black pepper.
I usually sprinkle on some wholewheat breadcrumbs but didn't fancy it today.
Baked it all in a casserole dish until the top went crispy.

LauraMipsum · 18/01/2018 21:34

I did baked tofu with rice and stewed aubergine. It wasn't bad for a "what have we got in the house" meal.

Minestheoneinthegreen · 19/01/2018 22:33

We went out for dinner - I had a vegan pizza at Prezzo. It looked like it had globs of coconut oil on it Confused Didn't taste great to be honest. Think I'll go for cheesless pizza as per at home, was a bit grim!!

hibbledibble · 20/01/2018 07:33

Hello, I am a veggie forever, giving vegan a go with the intention of making a long term change.

I am surprised with how easy being vegan is: so many vegan alternatives are now freely available, an plenty of restaurants.

LoniceraJaponica · 20/01/2018 09:29

"I am surprised with how easy being vegan is: so many vegan alternatives are now freely available, an plenty of restaurants"

I agree. I used to think that being a vegan was mean living a life of sacrifice and deprivation, but not any more - with two exceptions. I have not found an acceptable alternative to dairy milk in tea. I loathe black tea, and find that all the plant milks I have tried in tea either leave a powdery taste or a metallic taste. I have some almond milk to try, then I think I have exhausted all the possibilities.

Also, so many plant milks are sweetened which makes them unsuitable for cooking savoury dishes with.

The other exception is cheese. I love the stuff. The best cheese alternative I have tried is from the Tyne Cheese Company. Violife is vile and gets called Vile Life in our house, and the soya alternative is not much better.

hibbledibble · 20/01/2018 09:44

lonicera it's interesting you say that, I guess it is all down to personal taste.

I prefer the taste of soya milk to regular milk in tea. Have you tried oatly barista? Everyone raves about it. It is also possible to get unsweetened soya milk for cooking. I just use the sweetened stuff though.

I love vio life cheese too.

I guess it is good that I am easily pleased.

LoniceraJaponica · 20/01/2018 09:47

I can't find Oatly Barista anywhere Sad. I have heard wonderful things about it. I think there is an Oatly shortage. I was in Tesco yesterday and bought almond milk and cashew milk (DD's favourite) and there was just one carton of Oatly left on the shelf.

TuftedLadyGrotto · 20/01/2018 09:52

Dh is doing veganuary. I'm not properly because either can't find a decent milk alternative for tea, like @LoniceraJaponica

I think there is an Oatly barista shortage, I haven't been able to find it anywhere.

I love tea, I drink loads of it. I find it so refreshing and comforting. I'm not bothered about chocolate or booze, but tea I'm not sure I can quit.

HemanOrSheRa · 20/01/2018 09:54

I'm still plodding on with Veganuary here and really enjoying it. I have a stockpile of Oatly Barista Oat Milk - I absolutely love it. I can at last have cereal/granola for breakfast! I loathe cows milk so I'm really pleased Smile.

I had a seitan steak for dinner last night which was very nice indeed. Meat loving DP had a taste and liked it too so that was a result. I'm still cooking meat for DP and DS - I don't think they will become veggie/vegan any time so but I can do things by stealth Grin.

I also had a baguette from a local deli yesterday - filled with duck style pieces, chilli, ginger and lime flavoured vegan mayo and salad. It was DELICIOUS so I will be buying some of those duck style pieces for lunch wraps, sandwiches and stir fries.

colleysmill · 20/01/2018 09:55

The only place i can get oatly barista is Waitrose

HemanOrSheRa · 20/01/2018 09:56

Aw Lonicera If you are any where near me you can have one of my cartons of Oatly!

LoniceraJaponica · 20/01/2018 09:58

I have tried seitan and really dislike it. If you have never eaten meat it might work, but it has a taste that I can't define and is like eating rubber. I guess you could say the same about milk and cheese. If you have never eaten/drunk them then you would only be used to the alternative.

Which duck style pieces did you use HemanOrSheRa? We have the Linda McCartney ones and they are absolutely delicious.

LoniceraJaponica · 20/01/2018 10:00

Oh, and if anyone is in or near Sheffield I can recommend Make No Bones vegan cafe. Their avocado "wings" are to die for.

PurpleDaisies · 20/01/2018 10:01

I am surprised with how easy being vegan is: so many vegan alternatives are now freely available, an plenty of restaurants.

I’ve found it quite difficult because I really don’t like any of the substitute cheeses and milks, and having been veggie for a while milk and cheese features quite heavily in my diet. I’ve just eliminated them rather than swapped but I’m missing them to be honest.

I’m finding planning an effort too, School is great for vegetarian option dinners but they’re mainly not vegan so I’m having to make lunch every day.

Cauldron sweet ginger marinated tofu is really nice. I had that in stir fry last night.

LoniceraJaponica · 20/01/2018 10:16

We eat a lot of pulses and pasta with vegan sauces, and some of the Linda McCartney meat substitutes are vegan. Quorn make excellent vegan "fish" fingers.

We have a couple of vegan cookery books and the recipes in there are plant food based rather than using meat/cheese/milk substitutes, and we have had some delicious meals. Veganaise is an excellent vegan mayonnaise and is the best of all that we have tried.

I think you do need to think outside of the box with vegan food, and you do need to meal plan more. I love the ginger marinated tofu as well, but DD doesn't.

HemanOrSheRa · 20/01/2018 10:22

I'm not sure Lonicera they were in a shop bought baguette. They had a hoisin taste - does that sound like the LM ones?

I had a Wheatly Virginia steak which is coated in spices and thought it was really nice - just as well as they come in packs of two!

I did LOVE good cheese but haven't really missed it at all. I must be a complete heathen though as I quite enjoy a slice of violife cheddar on a burger Blush. The block stuff gives me horrible burps though.

I might get some tempah today and give vegan bacon a go tomorrow for a full vegan breakfast. I absolutely love scrambled tofu. I could eat platefuls of it. I really enjoy baked tofu as well! I had a baked tofu,cashew nut and veg in black bean sauce stir fry this week - it was delicious.

I did think that, as an additional benefit, I may lose some weight by doing Veganuary. 'Tis not to be - we have TWO places near us/my work that sell the most amazing vegan cakes. I had an enormous slab of chocolate and morello cherry flapjack yesterday and a slice of millionaires shortbread on Wednesday. I've also sampled the chocolate brownie which was excellent!

LoniceraJaponica · 20/01/2018 10:26

I find that I eat more carbs with a vegan diet, so no weight loss going on here Sad

The LM "duck" pieces have a hoi sin taste, as do the Holland and Barrett ones. The problem I have with Violife is the coconut aftertaste. I love coconut, but not coconut tasting cheese. The other non dairy cheeses I have tried have a sort of vanilla aftertaste that I find unpleasant.